Universal back rest



8, 1950 s. M. ORTH 2,518,057

UNIVERSAL BACK REST Filed June '22, 1948 INVENTOR Sylvester M 1 Urth 1/ BY 5%; I 4 a Il ATTORNEYS patented Aug. 8, i950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNIVERSALBA'CK REST Sylvester M. Orth, Brooklyn Heights, Ohio Application June 22, 1948, SerialNo. 34,391

The present invention relatesto back rests of the type which may be secured to bench seats or planks and more particularly to back rests which may be secured to bench seats in more than one position.

Back rests are known having clamping means for securing the rest in one fixed position on a plank or bench seat. Some rests are pivotally mounted to the clamping means to permit the back rest to be turned in any direction. One disadvantage of this latter type of back rest is that a relatively complex and heavy support is required in order to hold the back rest sufiiciently steady when it is pivoted.

The present back rest overcomes these and other difficulties in that it is simple in construction and is light weight. Nevertheless, it permits the back rest to be easily and firmly positioned either longitudinally of the bench or plank or transversely thereof. This feature is of particular value when the back rest is used on seats of row boats or the like while fishing, since it enables one to face over the stern or over the side of the boat, whichever is desired.

The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the back rest disposed longitudinally of the bench;

Figure 2 illustrates a detail of the clamping device for securing the back rest to the bench;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the back rest in its collapsed position;

Figure 4 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing the back rest arranged transversely of the bench; and

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the clamping means showing the alternative position of the clamp in dotted lines.

With reference to Figure 1, the back rest comprises a U-shaped frame II which is adapted to rest upon the top of a bench seat I2. A back member I3 is hingedly secured to the back of the U-shaped frame II by any conventional means such as pins or pivots l4. A chain IE or some other similar means is provided for limiting the backward movement of the back member l3. The forward ends of the U-shaped frame II are provided with clamping members l6 which are pivotally mounted to the frame by pivots H. The clamps l6 comprise U-shaped elements which are adapted to fit around the edge of the bench l2. The distance between the arms of the clamps I6 is sufiicient to accommodate the thickest plank or bench on which the back rest might be used. A clamping screw I8 is threadedly mounted in the lower arm of the J-shaped element and is 5 Claims. (CL 155 -133) adapted to bear against the bottom of the-bench l2 to secure the clamp in position, as shown in Figure 2.

The U-shaped frame is composed of a resilient material which may be metal, plastic, etc., as shown in Figure 1. The cross-sectional shape of the resilient material may be of any desired configuration to permit the arms to fiex in the plane of the U, i. e. in the horizontal plane, as seen in Figure 1, but to be relatively inflexible in the vertical plane. As shown, the cross-sectional shape is rectangular with the narrower dimension resting on the bench. The ends of the arm are twisted through as best seen in Figures 2 and 5, so that the ends of the arms to which the clamping members It are pivoted will be fiat and will be parallel to the upper arms of the U-shaped clamps [6.

As shown in Figure 3, the back member it may be folded forward so that it will lie substantially parallel to the U-shaped. frame [I for compactness and ease in transportation.

As shown in Figure 4, the back rest may be disposed transversely of the bench. In this case the arms of the U-shaped frame H are squeezed together, if necessary, to enable the clamps It to engage opposite sides of the bench. As can be seen, the clamps [6 are turned through a 90 angle from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. Obviously, if the bench or plank is wider than the normal distance between the arms of the frame II, the arms can be sprung apart to permit the clamps IE to engage the opposite edges of the bench.

The clamping screw I8 is disposed nearer the end of the lower arm of the U-shaped clamp 16 than the pivot I! on the upper arm of the clamp. This relative arrangement is best seen in Figure 2 and permits the clamping elements to securely engage the edges of the bench at a point removed from the extreme edge thereof. This is particularly advantageous when the back rest is used in the position shown in Figure 4.

It will be understood that, whereas the invention has been described with reference to the specific modification disclosed in the drawings, it is nevertheless intended that various changes and alterations which would occur to one skilled in the art are not excluded.

What is claimed is:

1. A back rest for attachment to a bench seat comprising a substantially U-shaped frame having forwardly extending arms, a clamping member located adjacent the outer end of each of the arms of the frame, a pivot connecting each of said clamping members to the armsof said frame,

. 3 the axis of each pivot being in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the U-shaped frame whereby said clamping members may be pivoted in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the U-shaped frame, thus permitting engagement of both of said clamping members on the same side or on opposite sides of the bench seat, and a back member hingedly mounted to the back of the frame.

2. A back rest as claimed in claim 1 wherein the arms of said frame are resilient in the plane of the U-shaped frame to permit engagement of said clamping members to a bench seat having a width different from the normal distance between the arms of the U-shaped frame.

3. A back rest as claimed in claim 1 wherein the clamping members comprise U-shaped clamps, each of said pivots connecting one arm of each of said clamps to an arm of the U-shaped frame.

4. A back rest as claimed in claim 3 wherein 4 the U-shaped clamps include means connected to each of the other arms of the U-shaped clamps for releasably securing the clamps to the bench seat.

5. A back rest as claimed in claim 4 wherein said releasable securing means are disposed nearer the ends of the corresponding arms of the clamps than the pivots connected to the otheij arms of said clamps.

SYLVESTER M. ORTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

